Sixth Sense

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
James 4:7 (NIV)

Have you ever heard of the “sixth sense?” 

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines it as: A power of perception like–but not one of–the five senses. Wouldn’t it be nice if a sixth sense existed for avoiding sin?  

Jesus shows you how to detect temptation before it happens. When you submit to God, He gives you the sense and power to resist the devil. And as you learn how Jesus navigated temptation, the devil will flee from you, too. 

Satan tempted Jesus in three different ways, and they are the same ways he tempts you. Understanding these three areas of temptation will help you develop sharp intuition and avoid the devil’s schemes.

First, temptation appeals to your physical desires. In Matthew chapter four, Satan tempts Jesus right after He finishes a 40-day fast. Hunger makes every person vulnerable. Satan tempts Jesus to break His fast by turning stones into bread and eating–something Jesus could easily have done. 

But Jesus was fasting under the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Satan seeks to entice Jesus to fulfill His desires in His way. There’s nothing wrong with your physical desires when you surrender them to the lordship of Jesus. 

Temptation impacts your emotions. When the enemy could not get Jesus to follow His physical desires, Satan tried to appeal to how gratifying it would be to receive worship.

Satan knows Jesus’ rightful place is one of honor, and here He is in the desert hungry, dirty, and tired. He capitalizes on how Jesus must be feeling and tries to get Him to show the world who He is. 

Following feelings is a temptation for every person. But when you lean into the sense of the Holy Spirit, you can have a power of perception that supersedes your physical or emotional desires.

Temptation challenges you on a spiritual level. When Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, he was tempting Him in a subtle, but powerful way. He offered Jesus the same kingdoms His Father was going to offer Him–but he was giving Jesus a shortcut. “Skip the cross,” Satan tempted.

Satan is the master of shortcuts. He tempts you to surrender some parts of your life but not everything. Or to talk about God but not to Him. But you have a unique power of perception through the Holy Spirit. 

Learning to detect temptation is a powerful weapon against the schemes of Satan. You have a “sixth sense”–the Holy Spirit–who can warn you of what lies ahead. No matter what area of your life faces temptation, you are empowered to submit to God and receive His grace. 

Prayer: Dear Father, Thank You for the Holy Spirit, who is my greatest companion in detecting and overcoming temptation. I praise You for the sense I have through Your Spirit! Help me tune into your guidance for my physical desires, emotions and my spiritual life. Guide me to rely on Your strength instead of my own. In Jesus' Name, Amen.